


The year after

by TelekineticIssue



Series: LoK Tumblr Requests [7]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alcohol, F/F, Letters, a brief look at the Linzin breakup, and some other stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:40:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27171886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TelekineticIssue/pseuds/TelekineticIssue
Summary: A series of letters exchanged in the year or so after Avatar Aang's passing.
Relationships: Lin Beifong/Kya II
Series: LoK Tumblr Requests [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1972630
Comments: 16
Kudos: 104





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Requested by anonymous.  
> This could honestly be a companion piece to Let It Linger, but you don’t need any context from either to read either I think. I also totally just sort of ran with the idea of letters so like. Whoops, not quite the prompt. It also ended up far longer than I intended.

_Lin,_

_I’m pretty sure when you said ‘write me’ you didn’t actually mean it because it’s not your style, but I’m going to be annoying and take you up on it anyway. Mom and I are settled down now. I technically live next door but our houses are sort of attached? It’s cozy. You’d hate it probably. It’s freezing and I know all the ice between you and the earth wigs you out._

_I don’t think I’ll miss traveling as much as I thought I would. I forgot how much I love it here. If you ever want to visit, you absolutely have to see the night sky. The sky in Republic City has nothing on this._

_How are things back in RC? I know it was hard for you to see your mom and Suyin at the funeral. Tenzin mentioned things were tense. I hope it wasn’t too bad. Tenzin also said you’re moving up in the ranks at the station and that you’re working a lot more lately. If I know you, that means you’re barely coming home. Don’t forget to take care of yourself, too._

_Well, I’m not really sure what else to say since I don’t have a terrible amount of news. Say hi to everyone for me?_

_Much love,  
Kya_

.  
.  
.

Kya,

I might be busy, but your letters won’t ever be annoying. It’s always lovely to hear from you. It’s good to know you and your mother are settled in all right and I hope things go smoothly now. I probably won’t come visit because of everything I’ve got going on, but maybe I’ll get to see those stars someday. Please give Katara my and Tenzin’s love.

Things in the city are all right. Crime’s up because some shitheads are taking advantage of the mourning. Work never ends for RCPD. I’m getting plenty of rest, don’t you worry, but I have been taking longer hours just to pick up some slack. Nothing too dramatic has happened, but we’re on the lookout for an uptick in Triad activity. I can’t really say more than that.

I hope you’ll come back and visit sometime. Tenzin’s gotten a little intense about the future and the next Avatar but I think seeing more family than me might help him relax about all of that. He was considering going down there to see you two, but work with the Council is starting to fill up his plate, too.

Looks like I’ve got to go and deal with someone else’s fuckup, so I guess I’ll write to you again if I hear back from you.

Yours,  
Lin

.  
.  
.

_Lin,_

_I take it you wrote back from your desk at the station? I hope it was on a break._

_I know it’s been a few weeks and I’m sorry for that. I’ve been helping Mom at the clinic here and we’ve gotten a lot of visitors. People are even starting to come down from other nations. Mom complains that she moved back here to slow down, but I think she secretly likes the attention. Uncle Sokka came and visited for a couple days this week, but I figure you probably knew that. He mentioned something about you and Tenzin having some trouble? Are you two okay? You know you can tell me anything, right, Lin? I’m here for you._

_I put in a photo for you. I felt like it was something you might like._

Lin checked the envelope and lo and behold, an old photo slipped out. She and Suyin were sandwiched in between Kya, Tenzin, Bumi, and Izumi, and they were all smiling at the camera. She couldn’t have been older than nine or ten, as Suyin was still a toddler by the looks of it. She could see her mother, Aang, and Katara in the background off to the right, and something told her Zuko and Mai were just out of frame. With a sigh, she set the photo aside.

_I had like three or four copies of it so I think Uncle Sokka might have made one for all of us. Spirits know what happened to the others. Maybe I’ll send one to Izumi and see if she remembers it, because I certainly don’t. You’d think I’d remember the times she was at Air Temple Island!_

Lin recalled the most memorable of those times, during which they’d snuck over to her house after those on Air Temple Island had fallen asleep so they could break into her mother’s alcohol stash. They’d woken up tangled together in Lin’s bed with furious headaches, and Toph, coming home from a late night shift at the station, had only laughed before cooking breakfast for the three groggy teens. She’d sent Kya and Izumi back to the island with a thermos of strong tea each, and coached Lin on how to not wake up with a hangover next time over her own tea. It was a testament to her lack of punishment that she hadn’t ratted them out to Katara.

_I know you said you probably don’t want to visit because of work, but Mom wants you and Tenzin to come to the Winter Solstice Festival. Well, she didn’t actually say it but she hinted at it pretty hard. You know how she is. If you can come that’d be really great! I think it would do us both good to see family instead of just hear over letters how you two are doing. Bumi’s already requested time off (or so he claims) and if he’s here you know it’ll be a good time._

_If you can make it I have a spare bedroom but I swear to the Spirits the walls are thin so don’t even think about anything._

_Lots of love,  
Kya_

.  
.  
.

Kya, 

In a very radical move for myself, I completely cleared my schedule and took time off for the festival. Yes, Tenzin and I will be coming. We’re bringing Oogi for the sake of time. 

The photo you sent is really sweet. I don’t remember it either, but I showed it to Sokka and he actually had the gall to laugh at me. Apparently it was taken on my ninth birthday. Sometimes I wish we were that young again so it could just be me, you, and ‘Zumi against the world. If I could afford more time off I’d like to stay at Ember Island for a week with you two. I know it’s silly, you’re busy and Izumi has her kids, but it’d be fun to just hang out again. 

It’s also really nice to be able to send you letters like this even if I’m bad at making them have any kind of substance. I know we had a weird time last time we saw each other and all but I’m glad that it didn’t ruin our friendship. I guess we’ve always been a pair, huh? I miss you. 

That was really sappy. Don’t tell anyone. I have to keep up my badass Captain vibe or no one will respect me at the station. 

Yours,  
Lin 

.  
.  
.

Kya,  
Disregard the beginning of my last letter. I will not be attending the festival. Tenzin will be bringing another guest. I suppose we will have to see each other another time.  
Lin 

.  
.  
.

_Lin,  
What happened? Are you okay? I swear to the Spirits don’t send me something like that with no context or I will come back up to Republic City and beat your ass myself assuming it’s in shape to be beat. Mom’s worried, too.  
Kya_

.  
.  
.

Kya, 

I have no idea when this letter will arrive but it’ll serve him right if it gets there late and he’ll have to explain it all himself. He dumped me for a younger woman. He wanted me to sideline my entire career for children. I get that he’s the last airbender and all, but I’m just not ready for a family like that, and I don’t think I ever will be. This girl is one of the air acolytes so I guess they’ve been around each other a lot. She can’t be any older than nineteen. I don’t know how long he’s been seeing her, but she’s already moved into the main temple. I’ve moved back into my apartment. It’s lonely. 

I might have trashed the courtyard when I found out about him and her. It makes me want to scream or throw up every time I think about it. I’m just so fucking angry that this is how it ended, after everything we’ve been through together. I supported him through everything in the past decade and he dumped me for a girl younger than my sister? I thought he’d have some fucking class about it. 

It’s going to take a lot before I’m really okay again. But I’m not in danger or anything. Sorry if my letter made you worry too much. To borrow your phrasing, my ass is fine, but I’d prefer if you didn’t beat it as it’s got important things to do. 

Yours,  
Lin 

.  
.  
.

_Lin,_

_You were right about one thing, Tenzin showed up before your last letter. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Mom so close to wanting to kill someone. I know it’s probably the last thing you want to hear, but I’m actually kind of glad Tenzin broke it off with you. I don’t think you two would have made a good married couple. Tenzin’s just so stupidly clingy and all about Dad’s legacy and I think it would have stifled you. I want to see you happy, Lin. Ever since all the shit with your sister and then this, you deserve something completely for yourself._

_I’d love to see you, but I can’t make it up to Republic City for a while. Mom and I are tied up with affairs here. Do you think it’d be possible to find some time to come down? I’ll take you and your fine ass on a proper post-breakup bar crawl and then to the coziest bed you’ve ever slept in._

_Love,  
Kya_

Lin set down the letter and rubbed her eyes, then read the last line again. Was this flirting? Was Kya flirting with her? She’d even signed it with love. And it smelled like her perfume. Fuck. She picked up her pen, the first time she’d instantly responded to a letter, and began writing. 

.  
.  
.

Kya, 

If you’re actually serious about wanting me to visit, send me some dates that would work and I’ll see what I can do for time off. I think some space away from Republic City would help a lot, and I’d love to see you and whatever you’ve got planned. What you said makes a lot of sense, really. I do feel a lot less obligated to a lot of things now that I can just focus on my career and life. Of course it still hurts a lot to run into him on Council business and whatnot, but I guess that will fade with time. I could really use a distraction. 

Get that bed ready for me, darling. 

Lin 

Kya bit her finger to keep from making an audible sound. She’d been terrified to come on so bluntly in her last letter, but Lin had taken it to an entirely new level, and some part of her was incredibly all right with that. This wasn’t the first time she’d read and re-read the letter; Lin was supposed to be arriving tomorrow, in fact, but Kya couldn’t help but skim the words one last time. 

The knock on her door startled her out of her thoughts. She crammed the letter into the box with the others and set them up on top of her bookshelf, then stepped out to answer. 

She wasn’t expecting Lin Beifong to be on the other side, shivering. Her single luggage bag sat forlornly next to her leg. A nervous smile lit her face when she met Kya’s eyes. 

“Hope being a day early isn’t a problem?” 

Kya threw her arms around the other woman with a whoop of delight. “Lin! Of course not, come in, we’ve got a lot to talk about…” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By popular demand, Lin's visit to the SWT. I have more in mind, but I'm not sure if/when that'll be up as I have a pretty big selection of other prompts to get to!

“Not you and Dad’s tree!” Kya gasped, gawking at Lin over the shot she hadn’t yet taken. Lin waved her free hand frantically.

“No, no, the tree’s fine. I made sure of it. Unless whoever went out and fixed it fucked it up.”

Lin cradled her beer almost reverently; she’d lost count of what number this one was at this point, and determined this would probably be her last if she wanted to actually walk back to Kya’s home without falling over or throwing up. Or both.

“Well, I suppose that’s a relief,” Kya said. She set her now empty shot on the bar and held up two fingers. “Close the tab after these.” The bartender nodded.

“Kya, I’m not sure I’m up for shots.”

“Shot, singular. I know you’re boring, but come on, you’re free from my stick in the mud brother and you have me again. Live a little!”

Lin drained the last bit of her beer and nodded. “You know what? Yeah.”

The burn in her throat reminded her that she was not as young as she once was, and as she and Kya leaned against each other and stumbled in the vague direction of her home, Kya threw back her head and laughed.

“What a fucking pair we make, huh?”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Lin replied slowly, testing out the sound of it in her head. Kya and Lin, Lin and Kya. She liked the sound of that, if she had to tell the truth. “It sounds like something that should be.”

“What?”

“Us, a pair.”

“Absolutely.”

Kya fumbled the lock on her door until Lin took pity on her and pulled the keys from her hand with a gentle touch, letting them in and making sure the door was once again locked behind them. They kicked off their shoes, Kya passing her a knowing smile when Lin’s face screwed up at the chill of the floor. However, when Lin made to walk back to the guest room, Kya’s arms snaked around her from behind and held her back.

“Gotta sleep, Kya.”

“That’s not the comfiest bed I promised you,” Kya whispered in her ear. The heat of her breath sent a rush of conflicted emotions through Lin. Next thing she knew, she’d been pushed up against a wall and Kya’s lips were on hers and one of her hands was tangled in Kya’s hair, the other wrapping around her waist and pulling her close, and it felt so _right_ she might have sobbed had her attention not been on the way Kya’s thigh shoved its way between her legs. She gasped against Kya’s lips and while the one rational part of her that still remained yelled at her to push Kya away and go to bed and pretend this never happened, the drunk part whispered that it would be so much easier to just let this happen.

The drunk part started to win when Kya dragged her hands up to Lin’s collar and popped open the first few buttons. Lin felt her knees wobble and cringed internally as something desperate crawled out of her throat and into the air between them. Kya, breathing heavily, smirked before her teeth met Lin’s neck, and by the time she pulled back there was a mark darker than any Lin had ever had the privilege of receiving.

“How about that bed?” Lin wasn’t sure if she could even walk at this point, but when Kya grabbed her hand and dragged her down the short hallway, she found herself following. Her bed was warm, draped in furs and blankets, and Lin found herself wondering what they’d feel like against bare skin, as if she wasn’t about to find out. Kya practically pushed her down, and though Lin wasn’t used to surrendering control like this, she was more than eager to comply.

Her shirt was first to go, and her own hands shook as she reached up to undo the clasp of Kya’s dress. It slid down to the floor gracelessly in Kya’s haste to get back on top of her.

“Spirits, the past ten years were a fucking waste. Look at you. Look at us,” Kya murmured. “You’re gorgeous.” She used the back of her finger to trace over the longer of Lin’s two scars. Lin jumped at the initial contact, unused to anyone touching her there, but as Kya pressed a soft kiss to her scarred cheek, she relaxed.

“Beautiful,” Kya said. Lin caught her in another heated kiss rather than risk a tongue-tied response. One of Kya’s hands found its way between them and undid the clasp of Lin’s trousers, brushing over and toying with the exposed hem of her panties. “May I?”

“I don’t,” Lin started, then paused, glancing up with worry.

Kya sat back, placing her hands over Lin’s on her hips. “What’s wrong?”

“I want to do this, but I don’t think I want it to be like this.” Lin bit her lip, and Kya could see she was on the verge of tears. “I’m...I’m sorry.”

“Oh, Lin.” Kya slipped off to the side and laid next to Lin, bringing a blanket up to their shoulders. “You don’t need to apologize for that.”

“But you-” Kya cut her off by pressing a finger to her lips.

“It’s not about just me, it’s about both of us. If you’re not comfortable, then we sleep.”

“Thank you,” Lin whispered. Kya had the distinct feeling that this conversation had never happened with this outcome before. She sighed, and pulled her hair loose of its ties, fluffing it out before shifting into a more comfortable position.

“Sleep well.”

“Hold me?”

Kya held out an arm and Lin closed the gap between them, resting her head on Kya’s chest with a contented sigh. Lin’s eyes fluttered shut as Kya brushed her fingers through her hair.

“Good night.”

…

“Turn the sun off,” Kya groaned as a shaft of light slipped through the window to shine directly into her eyes.

“Not how it works, Kya,” Lin grumbled back, snuggling deeper into her side. Kya sighed in exasperation.

“Then let me up so I can pull the curtains. And get some water, Spirits, my head feels like it’s about to split in two.”

“I’ll take one. I think I swallowed a sock or something.”

Lin watched through half-lidded eyes as Kya shrugged on a robe and padded out to the kitchen. She followed a few moments later, slipping her shirt from the previous night back on without bothering to button it back up.

“Bottoms up,” Kya said, handing her a glass of water and a willow bark tablet. Lin noticed Kya’s eyebrows make a sort of jiggy motion at her.

“What?”

“Didn’t realize you’d bruise that easily.” She tapped her own neck in the approximate place she’d left a sizable hickey on Lin.

“Work accident,” Lin said smoothly.

“That won’t stand up and you know it,” Kya shot back. Lin shrugged.

“As long as the next one is lower...”

“Lin Beifong, are you asking me to leave another?”

Lin made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a scoff, but the blush on her cheeks gave away more than she wanted.

“Maybe. Or I might return the favor.”

“Oho.” Kya sidled closer and pulled Lin in, kissing her cheek. “Very interesting. Anything else?”

“Possibly. You’ll just have to find out then, won’t you?”

“I look forward to it.”

Lin let her go with a wink and disappeared back into her room to change and freshen up. Kya must have done the same, because when she returned to the den, the waterbender was dressed and in the process of putting her hair up in a bun. Lin’s stomach growled into the silence.

“Didn’t you promise to make us lunch today?”

“Oh, fuck that, let’s go out.”

Water Tribe cuisine was truly one of Lin’s favorites, perhaps because it reminded her of Kya, and seaweed noodles in particular were the way to her heart. Kya had brought her to what she claimed was the best restaurant the South had to offer, and Lin was inclined to agree.

“What else did you have planned for this week?”

“Honestly, whatever you were up for. If you want to just stay in and sleep for a week, I’m totally fine with that.”

“There is one thing. You talked about stars in one of your letters.”

Kya’s eyes sparkled. “We’ll have to find you a warmer coat, then. I think I’ve got one that will work.”

The coat ended up being a bit tight across the shoulders, but Lin figured she could survive it for a while. Katara fussed over them as the afternoon turned to evening, good-naturedly forcing a bag of supplies into Kya’s hands before they left. The trek out to the rise Kya had in mind wasn’t terribly far, but by the time they stepped into the shelter of a shallow cave, Lin was winded and freezing. Kya didn’t seem too affected, but she’d also spent a significant amount of time here with her mother. She wordlessly gestured for Lin to huddle close, and Lin gratefully curled into her while they waited for darkness to fall completely. Katara had sent along a thermos of coffee, and they passed it back and forth.

“Come on,” Kya said, nudging Lin, “It’s amazing when you get to see them all come out.”

The light from the town didn’t have the strength to shine over the ridge; Lin and Kya stood in rapidly deepening darkness as the last of the light leached away. The sky was soon lit with thousands of stars, the patterns incomprehensible to Lin but more stunning than any natural sight she’d ever seen. A band of bright stars crossed the sky, seeming to split it in two, and it was all Lin could do to not gawk openly. The sky even in Gaoling couldn’t hold a candle to this.

Kya tried to pretend she was watching the stars, but her gaze was continually drawn back to Lin. Her hood had fallen and her hair was dusted with snow, and her eyes sparkled with the reflection of the sky above her. _I could watch her forever,_ Kya thought.

“Hm?” Lin blinked, glancing over. “Did you say something?”

“Maybe,” Kya said. “We should head back soon. It’ll keep getting colder.”

Lin held out a hand and Kya took it without thought.

…

“Do you really have to leave at the end of the week?” Kya whined. Lin held her closer, her fingers trailing over the bare skin of Kya’s upper arm.

“Yes, love. If I don’t get back to the station, they’ll have my head.”

“I’d rather keep it here with the rest of you.”

“I’ll only be a letter away.”

Kya pressed a kiss to Lin’s cheek. “Too far.”

“Then come visit sometime. My bed’s big enough for both of us.”

Kya grinned. “Might be big enough, but how’s it feel? Told you this is the comfiest one you’ll ever sleep in.”

“If you’re in it, then it’s the most comfortable bed I’ll ever be in.”


End file.
